


Riding out of Town

by antigrav_vector



Series: Bingo - Western AU [10]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 1872, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Secret Wars Battleworlds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Western, Cap_Ironman Bingo, Crossover, Horseback Riding, Horses, M/M, Multiverse, Riding, Stony Bingo, Stony Bingo 2016, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-25
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-08-24 16:11:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8378827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector
Summary: In the aftermath of the attempted attack on the jailhouse, Tony accompanies Junior and Steve on their escape, such as it is.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for the "didn't think that through" prompt on my bingo card. Betaed by the lovely [navaan](http://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan).

Tony arrived at the jail minutes too late. Fisk's men were long gone, and Steve was scolding Junior. Who was wearing some contraption resembling armour. Albeit the flashiest armour Tony had ever seen, lacquered a shiny crimson and gold.

It whined quietly as he moved, the joints articulating smoothly with each small motion he made. Tony wanted desperately to know how he'd done it. What he'd used to make the whole thing so obviously light and powerful.

On the other hand he knew without even asking that the technology and materials probably would be impossible to find, unless he made them himself.

Stepping up beside Steve and only belatedly realising that the sheriff wasn't wearing a shirt, Tony cleared his throat.

Steve jumped satisfyingly close to coming out of his skin. It was clear that Steve had been so intent on scolding Junior he hadn't been paying any attention to his surroundings.

Junior, on the other hand smirked and did something that made the armour peel away from his skin and fold back down into that suitcase-sized object he'd appeared with the first day. That sight convinced Tony to ask regardless of whether or not he could replicate the feat of delicate engineering. Setting the issue aside for the moment, he decided to lead with something more practical. "We should get out of town," he said. "They'll be back soon enough, and with bigger guns."

Junior made a derisive sound. "It would take cannon to even make a dent in my suit."

"Maybe so," Steve returned, "but we two don't have suits like yours. Come on. We're going."

Without further argument, Junior shrugged. "I don't have any camping gear."

"A night under the stars won't kill you," Steve shot back, digging his bedroll out of the footlocker behind his desk. He handed the spare to Junior. "Tony," he asked, "I don't have a second spare. Are you alright sharing?"

"Suppose I'll have to be," Tony agreed. "You offering, sheriff?"

"Reckon I am," Steve nodded, and steered them both out the door of the jail. "We're going to a quiet spot in the canyon."

That was several miles away, if he was thinking of the right spot. They'd need their horses to get there before dark. Tony himself wasn't very fast on foot, and he suspected Junior wasn't used to walking long distances. Tony was struck by a sudden thought. "You know how to ride a horse, Junior?"

"Uhh," Junior looked almost apprehensive. "No?"

Steve looked like he wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Alright. You're riding with me, then. Tony, go get saddled up."

A shudder ran through Junior at those seemingly harmless words, and Tony wondered what had caused that. Some memory, no doubt, but if he didn't know how to ride, what was it?

He set aside that question to puzzle over later and did as Steve had bade him. As he usually did when he needed a horse, he borrowed one. Jan was always willing to let him ride her dappled bay mare, and made no fuss this time, either.

By the time he'd gotten the mare saddled and himself into the saddle, Steve was waiting for him in front of Jan's place, with Junior seated very uncomfortably in front of him on his big black gelding, Star, so named for the big white blazon on its forehead.

Without another word, Steve took the lead, heading toward the western outskirts of town, and the mouth of the canyon. It was only about ten yards deep, more of a gully than a canyon, and the river that ran ran through it dried up every summer, but someone with delusions of grandeur had named it and the name had stuck.

Junior was silent for the first few minutes, preoccupied with keeping his balance and, Tony assumed, his balls from being mashed against Star's withers. He only spoke up as they passed the last few buildings that belonged to Timely.

"One of those belongs to Urich, right?"

Steve nodded. "The one to our south, yes."

Tony was pretty sure he knew where this was going.

Junior's next question confirmed it. "So why don't we just break in and send a message to the papers now?"

He and Steve exchanged a look.

Tony shrugged. "He's got a point, Sheriff. We've just gotta make sure it's obviously not Urich sending it."

\------


End file.
